This year, the Lone Star state hosted the largest academic competition in the world, the Lincoln Financial Group/National Forensic League National Speech and Debate tournament.
Held in Dallas, the competition drew the participation of 4,576 students from across the United States, its territories and South Korea.
For the first time in history, a CNMI student scored big and took the top prize in a national competition.
John Edward M. Elenzano, a recent graduate of Mount Carmel High School, topped the storytelling category, besting equally talented students.
“It’s amazing. I’ve been practicing for a long time, and after all that hard work, it finally paid off,” he told Variety yesterday.
He has been joining National Forensic League events during his whole high school life and has also represented the CNMI in the national competitions held in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2008, Birmingham, Alabama in 2009, and Kansas City, Missouri in 2010.
When asked about the competition in Dallas, Elenzano described it as a “fun experience.”
“This year, the theme for storytelling was Native American. The top six finalists competed in front of a large crowd in a Native American museum.
There were four preliminary rounds and a final round to determine the champion.”
His piece was titled, “The Girl Who Became a Mean Bear,” by Beverly Hungry Wolf.
He said he had to tell the story in a way that would grip the audience’s attention.
“I’m very proud of him. It’s not easy to be in that competition,” said Edong “Dragon” Elenzano, father of the national champion.
The well-known tattoo artist said his son’s victory was “the perfect Father’s Day gift” and that the local community was “behind” John Edward.
Fe Elenzano, his mother, said she cried upon hearing news that her son made it to the top six of the competition and asked the Gloria Dei Choir and the rest of the community to pray for her son’s success.
Anne Gelika Elenzano, sister, who was the first in the family to hear the news of his victory. She recalled being “happy and speechless.”
Teresita Zulaybar, Elenzano’s coach and Mount Carmel School teacher, described her student’s accomplishment as a “fulfilling experience.”
She said she constantly pushed him and the result speaks for itself.
“The audience received him well, and one judge told the team that [Elenzano] was his favorite,” she added.
Harold Easton, CNMI coordinator for NFL events, told Variety in an email that the CNMI NFL and NJFL Team support was “fantastic.”
He called the competition “very exciting to say the least.”
“[Elenzano] performed his final round in the Dallas Museum of Art and Design before the CNMI NFL and NJFL Team and an additional audience of at least 300,” he added.
He said the awards ceremony was held at the competition site, the Dallas Sheraton, before NFL and NJFL competitors and coaches.
This is the highest finish for a CNMI competitor since Marianas High School student Rachel Reyes placed 7th in the nation also in storytelling.
